Recipe Created

I had avocados that were ripe and had to be used. I had cucumber that is perfect his time of year so I created this recipe.

Cucumber-Avocado Salad

Ingredients
1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove crushed
5-6 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1/4 cup lime juice
2 avocados diced
sea salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil chopped (to taste)

Combine all the ingredients tossing them in the lime juice. To make ahead combine everything except the avocados and lime juice. Before serving peel and dice the avocado and toss with other ingredients in the lime juice.

Compost

Isn't it lovely? It's compost. An amazing thing happens when I put my yard waste and kitchen scraps in my compost bin. I know there are bugs and worms and other decomposers at work in there because I see them when I shovel it out. But I'm still amazed that they can turn those things in to this fine brown soil.



The biodegradable cup made of cornstarch is still intact in there. My daughter thought we should see if it would break down. I'll leave it in longer to see.

I used the compost yesterday to transplant a variety of plants. My soil is so poor here that I feel better putting the plants into compost than into the soil as is.

Bluebirds

The bluebirds must have had another nesting unbeknownst to me. Yesterday and today I spied young birds hanging around the bluebird box. I can't understand how I missed them nesting there again. I thought the house sparrow had driven them away. I'm glad it didn't. Now I know there will be a good chance for bluebirds next year as well.

Lounger

I went for my usual walk this morning and as I headed down the hill I spied a furry mass on a bench the carpenters had made with scrap lumber. Two of these benches sit on a hill overlooking the big turn of our driveway's hill. As I approached I wondered what could that fur be? Then I saw the eyes and nose and recognized it as the fat groundhog that has been running across the driveway as we drive by. He saw me and decided his lounging time was done. So he scampered down from the bench and into the woods. I never thought that groundhogs take time to relax. This one surely must. I'll have to look for it tomorrow.